Project Management for Creatives

So you're a creative. An artist. A maker of things! Why would you care about project management? Usually, we hear the words project management, assume someone is talking about construction or IT, and tune out whatever technical jargon comes next.

HOWEVER strong project management skills can mean the difference between struggling through your next big project with deadlines that wiz by and a final product you’re not satisfied with… OR finishing your project on time with pride in your work and the boost in self confidence knowing you’re ready to take on the next one!

The good news is that because project management is a skill, you can build it up, just like any other. And the best news is, you probably already use these skills and don’t even realize it!

This series will be a walkthrough of what project management is and how it can be helpful to all creators, big or small. Whether you make homemade soap, write e-books, or knit underwear, this series will have something for everyone.

Sprinkled throughout will be pro tips to improve your next project (gleaned from lessons learned by yours truly) and some of my favorite project management tools.

So let’s dive in!

What is Project Management?

Per the Project Management Institute (the folks who created the Project Management Professional or PMP certification), “Project management is the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver something of value to people”. For the rest of us, a more relevant definition would be:

Project Management is the planning, tracking, and review of performance throughout the life of a project.

So then, what’s considered a project? In my approach, any task you work through can be considered a project if it has 3 things: a deliverable, a deadline, and stakeholders.

Deliverables are whatever the end result or product will be after your project is complete. This can be an event, a document, or anything else that you want to be the result of your project.

Deadlines are the due dates for your deliverables to be completed by. It’s typically the point at which there are consequences for not having completed your project.

Stakeholders are anyone invested in the results of your project. This can be a client, a team member, and even yourself!

If you have ever planned out a task that required an end product to be completed by a specific date that was impactful to someone (including yourself), then CONGRATULATIONS! You’ve managed a project!

Benefits of Project Management for Creatives

Building project management skills can have tremendously positive impacts for all businesses and entrepreneurs but Creative Small Businesses aren’t just any business. You have unique challenges that other businesses might not have to contend with. Here’s a breakdown of the challenges I’ve seen and how project management skills and processes have helped to overcome them.

​​​Challenge	Benefit of Project Management
​The buzz of starting a new project has worn off and you’ve become frozen by the overwhelming number of things that have to be done.	Breaking apart big tasks into smaller more manageable tasks can help us focus on one thing at a time without losing the big picture.
You got lost in the sauce of one very detailed part of the project and can’t remember what step comes next.	Outlining all the steps for your project before you get started creates a roadmap of tasks from start to finish. You can always come back to this road map and know exactly what you’re supposed to do next.
That very important piece of information you needed to keep track of has disappeared into the sticky note blackhole that is your desk.	Keeping documents and communications organized using a standard method (meaning you do it the same way each time) can help prevent the panic of knowing you forgot something but not knowing what it was.
Revisions and/or approvals from customers take forever to communicate and resolve.	Designating a process for revisions or approvals can streamline your work and your customers' efforts to reduce frustration and delay on both sides.
Last minute changes sweep the rug out from under all the progress you’ve made so far.	Last minute changes can sometimes be inevitable but we can mitigate the damage by scoping out all the details about your final deliverable at the start of the project. Defining and getting documented approval on your project scope from the start means you and your customer have clear expectations of the project’s desired results.
You’ve partnered with someone else to finish a project and are stumbling over one another trying to get it all done.	Strategizing responsibilities, task ownership, communication, and progress updates can make sure your extra help doesn’t turn into extra hurdles.

Pro Tip!

It is always better to invest your time and energy in creating a detailed scope of work, deciding on how communications should be made, and addressing any concerns your team members or clients may have on the FRONT END of your project. Making sure you have a good plan in place before the project starts will save you a lot of time and tears when the project gets underway. It can be tempting to jump head first into the “doing” part of your project because that’s usually the fun part! Planning out your project doesn’t have to be complex, by outlining at least your deliverables, deadlines, and stakeholders, you’ll be setting yourself up for success!

Until Next Time…

Hopefully you're feeling less intimidated or bored by the topic of project management and are starting to imagine its benefits to your own operations. Next time we will look deeper into the life cycle of a project and what tools and processes can help us manage through each stage.

See you then!

Della